Wireless networks are expanding into new applications. As they enter more areas, greater flexibility is needed. Network component miniaturization requires techniques to lower power consumption and complexity to support longer unattended operation. Communications between network nodes are also driven by the need for longer ranges.
Wireless sensor networks is one application with these concerns. Energy scavenging and low cost digital and radio frequency (RF) electronics provide some components to support these challenges. However, large crystal reference oscillators are an example of components not meeting the lower power challenges.
What is needed is the ability to communicate over long ranges with low power, a high data rate, and low bit error rate.